Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

Yahoo News23 August 2017

The odds against winning are astronomical, but millions of Americans will be hoping for some life-altering luck on Wednesday night when winning numbers are drawn for the second-highest jackpot in the history of the Powerball lottery.

A winning ticket could bring the holder an estimated $700 million windfall, a prize topped only by a January 2016 $1.56 billion Powerball jackpot, the world’s largest lottery reward ever.

Anna Domoto, spokeswoman for the Multi-State Lottery Association, said that even more tickets are expected to be sold in the four-day period leading up to Wednesday night’s drawing. (Reuters)

A man holds up a Powerball lottery ticket he purchased at a gas station in Dallas, Texas, Aug. 23, 2017. The Powerball is at 700 million US dollars (593 million euro). (Photo: Larry W. Smith/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

Signs display the lottery prizes, Aug. 22, 2017, in Chicago. Officials estimated jackpot for Wednesday night’s Powerball lottery game has climbed to $700 million, making it the second largest in U.S. history. (Photo: G-Jun Yam/AP)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

A Powerball lottery ticket is printed on a lottery machine at a convenience store in Dallas, Aug. 23, 2017. Lottery officials said the grand prize for Wednesday night’s drawing has reached $700 million. The second -largest on record for any U.S. lottery game. (Photo: LM Otero/AP)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

Anahi Medrano sells a Powerball lottery ticket at a convenience store in Dallas, Aug. 23, 2017. Lottery officials said the grand prize for Wednesday night’s drawing has reached $700 million. The second -largest on record for any U.S. lottery game. (Photo: LM Otero/AP)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

A Powerball lottery sign displays the lottery prizes at a convenience store, Aug. 23, 2017, in Northbrook, Ill. Lottery officials said the grand prize for Wednesday night’s drawing has reached $700 million, the second -largest on record for any U.S. lottery game. (Photo: Nam Y. Huh/AP)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

Customers walk into a convenience store to buy Powerball lottery tickets in Northbrook, Ill., Aug. 23, 2017. Lottery officials said the grand prize for Wednesday night’s drawing has reached $700 million, he second -largest on record for any U.S. lottery game. (Photo: Nam Y. Huh/AP)

Mike Coscia shows off his Powerball lottery ticket numbers he purchased at a convenience store in Dallas, Aug. 23, 2017. Lottery officials said the grand prize for Wednesday night’s drawing has reached $700 million. The second -largest on record for any U.S. lottery game. (Photo: LM Otero/AP)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

A clerk operates a cash register after a customer purchases Powerball tickets at a doughnut shop in Oakland, Calif., Aug. 22, 2017. (Photo: John G. Mabanglo/EPA/REX/Shutterstock)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

A billboard advertising the Powerball jackpot stands in Bellevue, Neb., Aug. 23, 2017. Lottery officials said the grand prize for Wednesday night’s drawing has reached $700 million. The second -largest on record for any U.S. lottery game. (Photo: Nati Harnik/AP)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

Screen display the lottery prizes, as store clark Malik Imran serves customer, Aug. 22, 2017, in Chicago. Officials estimated jackpot for Wednesday night’s Powerball lottery game has climbed to $700 million, making it the second largest in U.S. history. (Photo: G-Jun Yam/AP)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

A man shows his Powerball lottery tickets at the Bluebird Liquor store in Hawthorne, Calif., on Aug. 23, 2017. The Powerball lottery has risen to 700 million US dollars making it one of the largest in history. Aug. 23, 2017. (Photo: Mike Nelson/EPA/REX/Shutterstock)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

A pedestrian walks by a liquor store displaying a Powerball sign in Oakland, Calif., on Aug. 23, 2017. The Powerball lottery has risen to 700 million US dollars making it one of the largest in history. (Photo: John G. Mabanglo/EPA/REX/Shutterstock)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

Customer buys a Powerball ticket, Aug. 22, 2017, in Chicago, officials estimated jackpot for Wednesday night’s Powerball lottery game has climbed to $700 million, making it the second largest in U.S. history. (Photo: G-Jun Yam/AP)

Atul Amin, left, sells a customer a Powerball ticket at his news stand in Philadelphia, Aug. 22, 2017. The Powerball jackpot has climbed to $700 million, giving players a chance to dream of winning the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

Adilene Lopez (rear), a cashier at a gas station sells a Powerball lottery ticket to a customer in Dallas, Texas, 23 Aug. 23, 2017. The Powerball is at 700 million US dollars (593 million euro). (Photo: Larry W. Smith/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Powerball lottery jackpot reaches $700 million

A Powerball lottery ticket is printed out of a lottery machine at a convenience store, Aug. 23, 2017, in Northbrook, Ill. Lottery officials said the grand prize for Wednesday night’s drawing has reached $700 million. The second -largest on record for any U.S. lottery game. (Photo: Nam Y. Huh/AP)